Police say the man was attempting to steal copper wire when he was electrocuted Sunday afternoon.
POMONA, Calif. — A man was found dead Sunday at a vacant strip mall under demolition after an apparent electrocution linked to copper wire theft, police said, following a loud blast that knocked out electricity across nearby blocks around 2 p.m.
Authorities said the death and outage are part of a continuing investigation involving a construction site off a busy Pomona corridor. The man, who had not been identified as of Monday, was not associated with the work crew, according to police. Utility crews restored service after several hours while investigators documented the scene and removed damaged lines. The incident renewed concerns about copper theft and the hazards that energized underground lines pose at demolition sites.
Neighbors reported hearing an explosion and then watching traffic lights and homes go dark. “It shut the whole block down, turned off the power for everybody,” said Mykil Walker, who lives across the street and ran toward the commotion. He said a woman at the scene pleaded for help, but arcing electricity made it impossible to approach safely. Firefighters and police taped off the area while construction workers pointed out access points to conduits beneath the site. By late afternoon, a white sheet covered the body as investigators waited for the coroner.
Police said the man was not a worker on the project and appeared to be attempting to remove copper wire from the property. Residents said the strip mall had been vacant and was being demolished in phases. Construction worker Frederico Velarde said crews had ended for the day. “They cut the power to above ground, but usually underground is still live,” Velarde said. Utility personnel isolated the affected lines, and power was gradually restored to roughly 2,500 customers after several hours, according to officials. The coroner will determine the cause and manner of death, and the investigation remains open.
The demolition site sits along a commercial stretch with older utility infrastructure and recent redevelopment activity. Copper thefts have occasionally targeted vacant buildings and construction yards across the region, according to police in neighboring cities, leading to outages, fires and costly repairs. In this case, neighbors described a sudden boom as service failed block by block, followed by sirens and a large plume of dust from the work zone. Crews remained at the location into the evening marking trenches and conduits where current may have traveled.
Officials said formal identification will come from the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner after notification of next of kin. Pomona police detectives are reviewing site security measures, possible entry points and whether anyone else was involved. Investigators also plan to review nearby cameras and interview construction personnel about the status of disconnects. If criminal charges are warranted for any accomplices, those would be forwarded to prosecutors. City inspectors are expected to coordinate with utility representatives before demolition work resumes this week.
As the sun set, workers reeled in caution tape while a utility truck idled beside an open vault. “There was nothing anyone could do,” said neighbor Nidia Martinez, who said she ran over when she heard the blast. “The firefighters were here fast, but the wires were still buzzing.” Traffic slowly returned to the corridor once signals were re-energized and businesses reopened.
By Monday evening, police said the investigation was ongoing, the man’s identity was still pending, and demolition work remained paused while utility crews completed safety checks. Additional updates were expected after the coroner’s office releases identification and cause of death.
Author note: Last updated January 7, 2026.